


prince in a pinch

by shuanime



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: -ish?, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Smug Bastard!Joshua, prince!jihoon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24898009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuanime/pseuds/shuanime
Summary: prince jihoon of Lizar has to find love before he's thrust into a marriage he's not ready for.here comes joshua hong, a smug bastard, to the rescue.
Relationships: Hong Jisoo | Joshua & Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Lee Jihoon | Woozi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 66





	prince in a pinch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nightsofsilver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightsofsilver/gifts).



> hii! this was a comeesh for a cause :) thank you to Night and her generous heart! this one's her request, so i hope you enjoy it!
> 
> i hope i did your prompt justice :>
> 
> also, i have no beta reader so... if there are corrections, yell at me on the comments :]

With the sun glaring like a nightmare over the streets of Lizar, one would not expect to bump into the reserved youngest prince of the royal line.

But Jihoon is in need of animal skin for the new set of drums he’s working on. Only goat skin could make the drum produce a sound so magnificent, and he knows it from experience. It’s difficult to just send someone to get the material he needs when he trusts no one’s instinct and judgment when it comes to the quality of his musical instruments—no one’s but his own.

So, he has to go to the market. Alone. By foot. Because royal guards are a pain in the derrière, and the contrast between the regal white horse carriages and the trade plaza would make him seem pretentious, and he could really use some time in peace.

In true peace. Not the kind wherein his assigned royal guard Mingyu can hover over him as he tries to determine the quality of goatskin he wants. Not the kind where he tries to read books in his study, but everything in the palace reminds him of his brother’s perfect life and it feels suffocating like it’s being held against him.

Just peace. Among people like himself.

“Your Highness,” the merchant greets as he sees Jihoon. It’s the only place he gets the hide of the goat he uses, so he knows him. “Are you here for more goatskin?”

Jihoon offers him a smile. “Only the best quality.”

“I’m on it,” the merchant smiles at him.

“Wonderful,” a particularly annoying voice says behind him. “I knew you’d be here today, too.”

“Joshua, Sir,” the merchant lights up as he sees Joshua enter his tent. “Back so soon?”

Joshua drops the empty bag in his hand on the nearest chair. “Yep. I just need seven rolls of your finest wool. Mother’s taking the knitting too seriously these days.”

“Alright, sir, I’ll be right back with your wool,” he says to Joshua and turns to Jihoon, “Your goatskin as well, Your Majesty.”

Jihoon gives him a polite nod, devout in ignoring the presence of a certain someone.

“Jihoonie,” Joshua chimes from behind him when the merchant left. “You’re ignoring your best friend.”

“You’re not even a companion to me,” Jihoon rolls his eyes. “Please don’t disturb me.”

“Where’s Mingyu?” Joshua disregards his request coolly. “I’m not used to not having him around. He’s the nicest.”

“It’s none of your business, whatever he does,” Jihoon replies. It’s the norm. He tells himself he’s ignoring Joshua Hong, but he’s not. He’s just _never_ ignoring him. No matter how much he tries to.

He’s hyperaware of his presence all the time. Aside from Joshua Hong looking like he’s a golden statue of a god, the man’s persisting intent to annoy him at all times makes it easy to empathize with Jihoon on this.

Also, he has no blemish on his face. And his lips are round and full. And his eyes can make one think about things one must not be thinking about.

That’s just what Jihoon hears from people. It’s not like his mind just waxed poetically about Joshua Hong, his mortal enemy.

“It is, though,” Joshua smiles smugly. Arm draping over Jihoon’s shoulders and a hand clutching on his right arm. “He laughs when I call you a boob.”

Jihoon gasps, offended. “I am _not_ ,” he grabs Joshua’s hand on his arm pulls it off, “a _boob_.”

“If you say so.”

He says that, but Joshua has a look on his face that is meant to remind Jihoon of that time.

He’s a respectable prince. He’s reserved, a huge introvert, but he still has that royal blood in him. He’s still his father’s son. He’s still his mother’s last born. He’s still the youngest prince. He’s still—

All right, the point is that he is to be respected and not called a _boob_ even if he’s caught picking his nose and wiping the contents his finger fished onto the cape of his father, the King, who was giving a heartfelt speech to the people at the time.

It was five years ago, Jihoon inwardly groans. He had grown since then. He thought no one was looking, but apparently, a pair of eyes were on him at that exact moment.

_“I enjoyed the ceremony,” Joshua had whispered to him when the ceremony ended. “It’s really fun watching a boob full of boogies.”_

Since then, it’s the nickname that followed him everywhere... Well, at least wherever Joshua is. He’s lucky that Joshua hadn’t told anyone about that moment, or else he would just have to dig his own grave and lie in it.

But he’s not exactly grateful that Joshua hadn’t tattled. Maybe he just respects him. Because he’s a prince. And princes shouldn’t be known as nose-picking maniacs.

“You should respect me more,” Jihoon chides. “This isn’t how you should be treating a prince.”

Joshua snorts, unaffected by any of his threats. It annoys Jihoon that he snorts handsomely. It annoys Jihoon that he’s thinking about a _handsome_ _snort_.

“What are you going to do—wipe some boogies on me, too?”

Right then, Jihoon is ready to unleash his inner beast, throw a whole fit of temper, and make the skies rain fire—

“Ah! I found them,” the merchant lets out a deep sigh of relief, seemingly unaware of Jihoon’s flaming head at Joshua’s smug stance. “These are the last ten rolls of wool I have, Sir, you might want to take them all.”

* * *

“There is just nothing I can do now,” Jihoon slouches on Wonwoo’s chair. “I’m going to be married off to Jun of the House of Munvia if I don’t find a _prospective_ _husband_. _Jun_ —Psh. What kind of name is that?”

It’s his desk, his chair, his room—he’s reasonably ruffled by Jihoon hogging his free time all to himself.

Jihoon slumps over his desk, pristine papers are being crumpled underneath him and irking Wonwoo deep inside.

“A sexy one,” Wonwoo deadpans. “Boo-hoo, you’re getting married to an attractive man with loads of riches. Get out of here.”

“You’re rude. Imagine being in my position.” Jihoon looks at him with troubled eyes.

 _Okay_ , Wonwoo thinks as he sighs. _Okay, I give up._

His best friend’s unsettled eyes might be his weakness, but at least it’s everybody’s weakness.

No one likes seeing him in distress. Grumpy, emotionless, occasionally sneering—that’s what they’re used to seeing. Nervous because of _something_ —nope. Not in this lifetime. Not until his older brother is cold and six feet under the ground. Crown Prince Seungcheol will slice you with his sword like brioche.

“Tell me everything about it then,” Wonwoo says, afraid he’ll poke a hole on the other’s feelings.

“They’re giving me a deadline,” Jihoon rants. “A deadline for love. That if I’m not getting married anytime soon, they’ll marry me off to Jun of Munvia to form an alliance with their kingdom, and—ugh—I am not in the mood to dip my toe in… _love_.”

He says the last word with so much disgust, Wonwoo thinks he’ll throw up if he talks more about it.

“Reach out to one of your suitors,” he puts forward. “Maybe you’ll like one of them.”

“Odd,” Jihoon grunts. “They’re all odd and icky. My brother got all the good-looking suitors, _and_ my brother was the good-looking suitor.”

“Your brother married for an alliance. A strange choice to make when you have the People on your side, but he and Prince Soonyoung are happily married now. Don’t you think you can be like that with Munvia’s second Prince, too?”

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Jihoon scoffs, burying his face deeper in the pile of papers. They’re now crumpled beyond salvation, Wonwoo laments. “Father won’t let a moment pass without reminding me that. _If the Crown Prince can do it, why can’t you Jihoon?”_ He mimics in a high tone that does not sound anything like the King.

Wonwoo looks around his room, waiting for an arrow to puncture him out of nowhere for letting Jihoon do that bad impression on his watch.

“Brother is lucky,” he pouts. “He found his true love _and_ made an alliance through it like the hero that he is _and_ made the King and Queen proud.”

“I thought you’re not ready for love?”

“I would love to love someday. Just not now.”

“You just need a fiancé to stand-in until you find someone you want to marry,” Wonwoo suggests as if it’s the simplest, most obvious solution.

Because it is.

“Who?”

“Get one of your friends to do it.”

Jihoon thinks for a second. “Mingyu? Hmm. Can’t. Father would have him killed. Royal guards can’t form romantic relationships with ay member of the family, it’ll be dishonorable.”

Wonwoo breathes out a concerned sigh at how casual he said it.

“And you...” Jihoon doesn’t even finish his sentence. He shudders. “No way.”

“I’m not agreeing, too, even if you beg me to do it,” Wonwoo defends himself. “You have two friends in total. Unbelievable. With all the balls and galas you forcefully make me attend, you have not acquired a single friend other than your Royal Guard and I.”

“Ugh—your advice didn’t help!” Jihoon buries his head in his hands. “You’re supposed to know everything. You’re smart.”

“Thank you,” Wonwoo says, pleased. “But I’m not the Oracle.”

Jihoon pulls a face. “You’re a _barnacle_.”

“What does that even mean?”

“…”

“Well?”

“Nevermind.”

* * *

The branch he steps on accidentally snaps in two under his weight, jolting him awake from his daydream. He’s pacing again—a habit of his that just stuck to him from childhood. When he thinks, he paces. And when he paces, everyone around him stares to figure out what he’s thinking.

That’s why he’s at the lakeside where no one is currently occupying because everyone is busy with the upcoming festival.

He has about a month until the festival begins, until the neighboring kingdom of Munvia pays the kingdom of Lizar a visit, and until the King introduces him to Jun.

He has about a month to find a way.

It’s not like he’s ready for any of this. He’s young, he has dreams, he has many other things to do… like…

Like maybe make rocks skip on waters?

He stands over the edge of the lake and picks up a rock. He flicks his wrist at the end of his throw, just how Wonwoo explained it would work against the tension of the water—and other intelligent constituents of Wonwoo’s brain taking over everything that he does.

Still, the rock doesn’t skip. It just sinks in the water. Like Jihoon dropped it directly.

He tries again, this time minding his timing. But when he lets go of the rock and it drops pathetically straight into the water again, another rock goes skipping four times on the surface of the water.

And he’s certain he did not throw that one.

Beside him all along is Joshua. Rock skipping better than him.

And it ticks him off in more ways than one.

Jihoon audibly grunts, letting him know he’s ultimately inconvenienced by his presence.

“Hey there, Prince.”

“I’m not dealing with this,” Jihoon straightens up, preparing to walk back to the castle. “Not today.”

“Calm down,” Joshua says, sitting on the grass with a serene look on his face. “I’m not in the mood to have fun, so you can relax.”

“So, you’re admitting you’re making fun of me?”

Joshua just shrugs, eyes darting to the clouds above.

Jihoon watches him cautiously as he sits near him but not _near_ enough, still on the edge because one can’t just trust a Joshua Hong. He’s playful, a prankster much like his best friend, Yoon Jeonghan. They’re known to be troublemakers who weaponize their charm and good looks to get themselves out of the mess they create.

And it’s not like Jihoon hasn’t fallen for the charm the Joshua turns on. It’s normal, okay? Everybody in the kingdom knows it’s possible.

And now, Jihoon is curious. Truly. Joshua is never _not_ _in_ _the_ _mood_ to annoy him. They’re not friends (he makes that very clear all the time), so there shouldn’t be a reason for him to ask, but his mouth is working before he could think.

“Why are _you_ not in the mood?”

Joshua looks at him as if he’s inspecting Jihoon’s face for anything, and he feels his cheeks warm under the stare. Joshua can have a particularly intense stare. It can be too much to handle.

It’s unexpected, but the man opens up, and Jihoon finds himself attentive.

“It just sucks when you’re not the heir to anything because you’re the last child.”

“I know, right?” He lets out a laugh. Of all people, he’d know that better.

“Yeah,” Joshua nods at him, knowingly. The People of Lizar know that Jihoon is the one who gets almost nothing, except the name attached to him by blood. It just so happens that Joshua is the same as him. Just less under the spotlight. “It might not seem like it, but I’m going to have to work hard, so I can have a name for myself.”

“Hong is already a respectable name,” Jihoon wonders aloud. “What requires you to work more?”

“I don’t want to ride the coattails of my father. I’m already the black sheep.”

That does make sense.

“And…”

“And? There’s something else?”

“And I’m in love with someone too good to be true. I have to put myself out there. So I can show that person I’m worthy.”

Jihoon genuinely feels for him. It must be hard to have people only think of you as the mastermind of mischief. He must be working hard to show them that he’s not just the person that he seems to be at first glance. Somehow, Jihoon relates to him. He’s human, too. Sometimes, Jihoon thinks he’s some kind of demon, unable to feel shame or regret because everything goes well in his life.

(Jihoon is one to talk. He’s the prince between the two of them.)

But Joshua has an air around him that makes him look… indestructible. Like he doesn’t have worries. Now, it’s like he’s witnessing the man’s walls come down.

He has dreams, too, and Jihoon thinks that’s awesome.

“How about you?” Joshua’s voice startles him out of his thoughts. “What were you pacing for?”

He almost chooses not to tell him, but Joshua opened up, and he feels comfortable right now. The grass beneath him suddenly feels soft, and as much as he doesn’t want to admit it, Joshua’s company—when he’s not being a bastard—is nice.

“I’m going to be married off,” Jihoon starts, noticing how it casts a gloom on Joshua’s expression. He must be relating to him as well, one way or another. “If I don’t find someone I truly want to spend the rest of my life with within a month, I’d be the husband of a Munvia prince.”

Joshua asks, “What’s your plan?”

“What plan? Nothing. It’s not like I’m in love with anyone.”

“Yeah, but what are the plans you’ve thought of? I’m sure you’ve had ideas.”

“I’ve thought about running away,” Jihoon replies impassively. “But that plan sucks because I’m used to this prince life, you know? I’ve also thought about marrying a suitor, but… ugh. Disgusting. Wonwoo suggested I find someone to pretend-love until I find someone I really love to throw off the King and Queen, but that’s funny because—”

“Why is it funny?” Joshua cuts him off, voice serious, confusing Jihoon even more. He has never heard him like that before. “I think your friend is onto something.”

“What—You think that would work?”

“Yes. It’s the best shot you have,” he sounds desperate, which is confusing, but Jihoon is listening to what he can bring to the table. Maybe he can help. “Do you have anyone in mind to play as you pretend-lover?”

“Mingyu could be castrated if he’s revealed to be romantically involved with me, and Wonwoo is just disgusting… no offense. He’s like a brother to me.”

“And?”

“What do you mean _and?_ That’s all of my social circle.” Jihoon says that with much conviction, he doesn’t realize it sounds pathetic.

“Then what about me?”

Joshua points at himself, and Jihoon just loses it.

_“Are you out of your mind?”_

Joshua shrugs. “I don’t see how it won't work.”

“You make fun of me on the daily. The whole kingdom knows.” Because Jihoon rants to Wonwoo and Mingyu, and while Wonwoo will keep his secrets to death, Mingyu still has to report to the monarch. “Brother has sworn to cut off your arm if you touch me. Father knows.”

Still, Joshua is unfazed. “So? We can just say I’ve been making fun of you because I like you, right?”

Jihoon falls silent, and Joshua deems this point his victory.

“I hate to admit that you’re right,” Jihoon starts and Joshua beams widely, teeth flashing like… _like an idiot._ “And I’m not saying you _are_ right, but you do make an _okay_ point.”

“Is that a _yes_?” Joshua leans over to him, face hovering in front of his with a sly grin. “Are we dating now?”

It makes his heart skip a beat, but that’s just because he got startled.

“N-No,” he stutters as it takes him a while to absorb what was said. “NO,” he says once again, unnerved. He puts two hands on Joshua’s strong chest, pushing him off. “We’re only pretending until I convince them that I’m really in love with you, but once they buy it, I’m not talking to you again.”

Joshua laughs, carefree and heartily that Jihoon has to stop and watch him. The view of the lake and the pretty clouds behind him make him look like an angel.

 _It’s annoying,_ he thinks to himself.

“All right,” Joshua says as he gets up and dusts his pants off. “Don’t be hesitant to fall in love with me, though.”

He throws a wink or two in Jihoon’s way and walks off.

Jihoon is left behind, stunned.

Just what did he get himself into?

* * *

Jihoon thought after that day, he’ll just forget Joshua Hong existed.

He doesn’t need his help, he thought.

He can manage all by himself, he _really_ thought.

Then the King calls the tailor over for suit fitting, so he can prepare for the introduction to the second prince of Munvia, and Jihoon is hurriedly “confessing” about his relationship with Joshua Hong.

His father asked, just for confirmation, “Hong?”

And Jihoon affirmed with a dignified nod.

And now, they’re in the dining hall. With Joshua.

Having a _family_ _dinner_.

Which is code for _probing_ and _scrutinization_.

Surprisingly, Joshua does well. He answers their every question gracefully, tells them stories about their encounters (which were half lies with the romance sprinkled all over yet half true with the humorous events at the expense of Jihoon), and effectively charms his family all night.

Jihoon, from his seat, could already tell his family’s defenses are being weakened by this person.

He’s a natural.

He even holds Jihoon’s hands so naturally that Jihoon, for a second, got convinced they’re truly in some sort of a romantic relationship.

But he shakes all thoughts away because he’s not yet deranged.

At the end of the night, it is clear that the King still hasn’t set aside the idea of marriage, but it’s also beyond doubt that he’s thinking it over which is better than nothing, in this case.

A sigh of relief for Jihoon. They just have to work as hard next time.

(And by they, he means Joshua. Joshua carried the whole thing on his back. Alone.)

The dinner ends, and Jihoon accompanies Joshua to the gates of the palace. Their hands are still linked lest eyes are still on them.

Joshua whistles, and there’s a bounce on his steps as they walk.

“I‘m so great, aren’t I?”

Jihoon feels warmth on his face as he agrees. “All right, since you helped me back there.”

“You’re admitting I’m great?”

“Please—you’re _fine_ at best,” Jihoon can’t help minimizing his compliments. But he really wants to thank him properly. “And maybe a _tiny_ _bit_ generous for doing this for free.”

Joshua stops in his tracks, and it’s only then that Jihoon notices they’re at the gates. It’s time to part. Joshua lets go of his hand. It now feels bare, as if warmth is taken away from him as punishment.

Jihoon convinces himself it’s just because Joshua has really warm hands and it’s cold outside.

That’s all.

Part of him doesn’t want it to end yet. _The_ _banter_ , he thinks. _It’s_ _fun_.

But the heart knows what it wants.

“Oh, dear,” Joshua says, eyes sparkling under the moonlight that makes Jihoon feel a chill run down his spine. “Who said I’m doing this for free?”

**Author's Note:**

> if you wanna yell at me: [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/shuquishy)
> 
> also im trying to save up and quarantine isn't making that too easy for me soooo my [fanfic comeeshuns](https://ao3-shuanime.carrd.co) are open if you’re interested! comeesh me hehe
> 
> you can also buy me a cup of [[coffee](https://ao3-shuanime.carrd.co/#ko-fi)] as support (only if it’s coming from the goodness of your heart hehe please don’t feel pressured!) 
> 
> kudos with love please AND your feedback and feelings, i wanna read them all on the comments! thank you for reading hehehe


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